Calf-weaner.



PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

F. M. BURGE.

CAL]? WBANER.

APPLIGATION FILED MAE. a, 1904.

Mar-

UNiTnp STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

PATIENT @rrrcn.

' CALF-WEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters IPatent No. 784,779, dated March 14, 1905.

Application filed March 8, 1904. Serial No. 197,094.

To (LZZ whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS MARION BURGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Linton, county of Emmons, and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oalf-W'eaners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates 'to calf-weaners, and more especially to that class of weaners which are adapted to be held by the septum of the nose, or, in other words, the dividing-cartilage; and the object thereof is the provision of means whereby the weaner may be applied to the calfs nose in a few moments and removed therefrom as readily.

Heretofore calf-weaners that were applied to the septum of the nose of the animal required considerable time in applying and removing, and this was rendered quite a difficult operation by the restlessness of the animal.

A still further object of the invention is in making a device of such lightness and rigidity of structure that it will not be easily bent out of shape or will not render the cartilage sore by weight of the device.

A still further object of the device is the provision of means whereby the weaner is-prevented from raising or being raised above a certain predetermined point; and the invention still further consists in the novel features and combination of parts, which will be more specially described hereinafter and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view shown applied to the animal. Dotted lines indicate the position the device assumes when raised against the arched spring. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line :r :1! of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are modifications.

Referring more specially to the drawings, the device is composed of a rigid frame 1, of heavy wire or other suitable material, which is braced transversely at 2 and 3 by similar wires. Extending over all and secured to the frame and to the braces in any suitable manner is a wire-netting or covering 4:, which is recessed at 5 for the reception of the animals nose. The netting around said recess 5 is braced by having the aperture surrounded with a piece of metal 6, which is bent into U-shaped form and soldered or otherwise secured to the meshes.

At the top of the device and secured to the wire-netting and to the framework are bearings 7, in which are adapted to slide the nostril-engaging fingers 8, which are provided with the handles 9 and at their inner ends with septum-engaging balls 10. Vithin the bearings 7 and secured to the nostril-engaging fingers 8 are shoulders 11, which are adapted to compress springs '12 when the fingers are disengaged from the septum and to force said fingers into engagement with the septum when the handles 9 are released.

At a suitable distance below the bearings 7 there is interwoven between the wire meshes of the frame or otherwise suitably secured a piece of springy wire 13, which is arched at 14 outwardly at right angles to the frame 1. When the frame is in normal position, which is lying against and hanging over the animals lips, the springy wire 13 is removed from the animals nose; but when the frame is thrown upward in an attempt to nurse the mother the spring 13 engages the nose of the calf and not only prevents further upward movement, but has a tendency to force the frame back toward normal position. The advantage in having this wire 13 of spring-y material is obvious, as the fulcrum of the frame is on the septum, a very tender portion, and should the force exerted to raise the frame be great and the wire rigid the injury done to the septum would be great.

The nostril-fingers 8 are adapted to rotate within their bearings 7 so as to make as little friction as possible upon the cartilage of the animals nose. It will also be observed that there are no screws about the device which have to be unscrewed, but that the handles 9 can be grasped and the nostril-lingers disengaged from the septum without occupying a moments time. This obviates the difliculty of removing the device, which generally requires the combined efforts of two or more men.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 4 and 5 instead of the wire-netting I have shown perforated plates of any suitable material, such as tin, sheet-iron, or the like. This may be of single thickness, as shown in Fig. I, or may be of double thickness, as shown in Fig. 5, and secured in any suitable manner, formed by soldering, clenching, or otherwise.

In operation the device is placed over the mouth of the calf in such position that when the lingers are released they will enter the nostrils of the calf and engage the opposite sides of the septum. When in such position, it is impossible to remove the device without operating thehandles 9 to release the septumengaging balls from the septum of the nose. It would also be clearly seen that the device cannot be raised to any extent in any manner on account of the spring-wire arch, which will when the device is raised engage the nose of the animal, and tends to force the frame back toward its normal position.-

It will be understood that the device does not prevent the calf from grazing, inasmuch as when the animal lowers its head the device swings outwardly and he is allowed free access to grass or other vegetation. However,

when the head is raised the device drops to its normal position over the mouth.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a frame, of braces extending transversely of said frame, a covering for said frame, means secured to the frame forattaching the device, and means on the frame adapted to engage the nose of the animal when the frame is forced upward.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a frame, bearings on said frame, springpressed fingers within said bearings, and resilient means secured to said frame adapted to engage the nose of the animal when the frame is raised, to limit the upward movement thereof.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a frame, of braces extending transversely of said frame, a covering for said frame, means secured to the frame for attaching the device, and an arched spring- Wire secured to the covering and adapted to engage the nose of the animal to prevent further upward movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS MARION BURGE.

\Vitnesses:

P. (Jr. RooKs, GHAs. COVENTRY. 

